Pakistan is facing a deepening crisis after the country's highest court ordered the arrest of the Prime Minister today, just hours after tens of thousands of protesters demanding the dismissal of the government engulfed the capital.

In scenes that many believe represented little short of an unfolding coup, the Supreme Court ordered the arrest of Raja Pervez Ashraf over allegations of corruption as up to 50,000 supporters of the charismatic Muslim cleric, Tahir ul-Qadri, staged a mostly peaceful but debilitating sit-in in the heart of Islamabad.

The Supreme Court there is getting to be in the habit of dumping corrupt prime ministers. Then again, all of the Pak prime ministers to date have been corrupt...

Fawad Chaudhry, a special adviser to Mr Ashraf, claimed last night that the judiciary and the army were working in concert against the government to install an administration of its choosing. "This is the establishment working," said Mr Chaudhry. "They want to dismiss the government and put in a long-term interim set-up."

Islamabad was paralysed after Dr Qadri, who had been living in Canada until his return to Pakistan last month, arrived with his followers on Monday night, occupying the city's main thoroughfare. Defying the government's orders, he told the crowd to move close to parliament, pushing aside the barricades erected by police. Dr Qadri has instructed the protesters to stay in the capital until his demands are met.

#4
Protests erupt in Sindh after PM arrest ordersThe city descended into sudden chaos on Tuesday evening as angry PPP workers took to the streets and forced traders to shut down commercial activities, soon after the directives of the Supreme Court (SC) ordering arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in rental power corruption cases.

The workers of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) set tyres on fire and blocked several areas, including MA Jinnah Road, University Road, Shahra-e-Faisal, Shahra-e-Quaideen, Gizri, Malir and Mariupur, and staged protest demonstrations against the SC verdic

An explosion has rocked a university in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, with unconfirmed reports that at least 15 people were killed.

State TV said Aleppo University was hit by a "terrorist bombing", although activists say the cause is unclear.

Student bombers. They never get it right the first time in the lab. Ask William Ayers...

Aleppo has been the scene of numerous bombings and air strikes, as government forces try to dislodge rebels there. Rebel forces have made sweeping gains in northern Syria in recent months and Aleppo is largely under their control.

The university is located in an area under the control of government forces.

The state news agency, Sana, said the university was hit on the first day of student exams.

"Next question in our practical: which wire do you attach to the negative pole, the red one or the green one? Mahmoud, come up here to the front and demonstrate to the class."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group, reported two explosions and said dozens of people had been wounded. Pictures on state television showed at least one body and several vehicles on fire.

#1
update 'More than 80 killed' in Aleppo University blastsMohammedWahid Akkad, the governor of Aleppo, Syria's second city, said there were 82 fatalities so far and more than 160 wounded "in a terrorist attack that targeted students on their first day of exams at the University of Aleppo."

Residents of Bo'o say a dark cloud has descended upon their small village ever since three suspected al-Shabaab gunmen opened fire on women leaving a wedding party there last week. The party was a traditional celebration to mark seven days of marriage and was attended only by women.

Al-Shabaab has imposed strict rules on wedding ceremonies that includes banning brides from wearing the traditional Somali wedding dress.

"It was a joyful day for the relatives and friends of the couple, as it should be when there is a wedding, and there had been no problems [with al-Shabaab until the attack]," said Ugas Hirey, a 35-year-old Bo'o resident. "We cannot figure out what changed; we were shocked by the gunshots and its ugly aftermath."

The al-Shabaab controlled village is located about 30 kilometres from Hiran's regional capital of Beledweyne, which was liberated by allied forces in December 2011 and has since rebuffed several attempts by the group to reclaim the city.

According to tribal elder Jama Ahmed the gunmen are believed to be between the ages of 16 and 19. He said they waited for the celebration to end and shot the women as they were leaving the venue, killing the groom's aunt and wounding two other women.

The wounded victims were immediately rushed to Beledweyne Hospital for treatment.

One of the victims lost a lot of blood and was in critical condition when she arrived at the hospital, Beledweyne Hospital director Ahmed Khalif told Sabahi. Both women are now in stable condition and receiving the necessary treatment.

[An Nahar] Islamists occupying northern Mali on Monday pushed further into the government-controlled south with an attack on the town of Diabaly, 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of the capital, as they have "retreated" in the east of Mali.

"The Islamists attacked the town of Diabaly today (Monday). They came from the Mauritanian border where they were bombed by the French army," said a Malian security source on condition of anonymity.

He said the Malian army had "urgently" dispatched a helicopter to the town.

A regional security source confirmed the attack, which he said was being led by Abou Zeid, a leader al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

"They left the Mauritanian border to avoid raids by French planes," he said.

Meanwhile,...back at the sea battle, the fleet limped into Bremerhaven, the wreck of the Blutwurstkoenig in tow... French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday that the rebels have retreated in the east but French forces are facing a "difficult" situation in the west of the country where rebels are well armed.

"The situation is developing in conformity with the expectations" of French President Francois Hollande...the Socialist president of La Belle France, and a fine job he's doing of it... and is "developing favorably", Le Drian told news hounds.

The French offensive kicked off on Friday to block the advance of Islamist forces towards the capital from their bases in the north which they have controlled since last April.

On Sunday, French Rafale fighter planes struck bases used by al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Gao and Kidal, two of the main towns in northern Mali.

Sixty Islamists were killed in Gao alone on Sunday, according to residents and a regional security force.

French warplanes attacked jihadist positions in the town of Nampala some 50 kilometers north of Diabaly, as well as a base in Lere, near the border with Mauritania.

[An Nahar] Somalia's al-Qaeda linked Shabaab gunnies on Monday posted a picture on their Twitter account of an alleged French commando chief killed in a botched hostage rescue operation.

"French commander killed during botched rescue operation in Bulo-Marer," read an accompanying caption to the photo.

The picture showed the body of the alleged commander, dressed in a black button-up shirt, and khaki pants, lying face up on an orange surface next to presumably his combat gear. A small crucifix showed from his neck.

A second photo, also posted on the Shabaab Twitter feed, showed the dead man in the same position but with bullet magazines and an assortment of guns and other tools of war strewn around and on top of him.

"François Hollande, was it worth it?" read a caption accompanying the second picture.

La Belle France's military operation Saturday to free a French spy held hostage by the Shabaab since July 2009 was a failure, with another French soldier killed and the fate of the hostage unclear.

On Saturday, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said one French soldier had died and another had gone missing during the raid, adding that 17 guerrillas had been killed.

He did not say a commander had gone missing.

The French defense ministry had earlier on Monday expressed fears that the Somali Islamists would put on display the bodies of the French soldier and the hostage, who La Belle France believes was killed during the operation.

"All indications unfortunately lead us to believe that the Shabaab are preparing to organize a disgraceful and macabre display" of the bodies, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

The gruesome image recalled the incident in 1993 when the bodies of U.S. soldiers were dragged through the streets and mutilated in Mogadishu, after a battle between U.S. forces and Somali militia fighters.

On Saturday, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said one French soldier had died and another had gone missing during the raid, adding that 17 guerrillas had been killed.

[An Nahar] At least 26 children were killed in violence in Syria on Monday, a watchdog said, fueling international calls for a war crimes probe into the 22-month conflict.

Reports of the child deaths came as Human Rights Watch... dedicated to bitching about human rights violations around the world... accused Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-AssadTerror of Aleppo ...'s regime of expanding its use of banned cluster bombs.

Eight of the children were killed in an air strike on the town of Moadamiyat al-Sham, southwest of Damascus...The capital of Iran's Syrian satrapy..., the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Five women were also killed.

"The children, all members of the same clan, were aged between six months and nine years old," said the head of the Britannia-based Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman.

State television blamed "terrorists" for the deaths.

Also near the capital, four other children were killed, including two siblings, the Observatory said.

Eight children were killed in the northern province of Aleppo -- five of them in an air strike.

Six more children died in other flashpoints in the strife-torn country.

The Observatory says that more than 3,500 children have been killed since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011. The United Nations...a formerly good idea gone bad... says more than 60,000 people have died in all, while the Observatory reported at least 126 killed on Monday alone.

International medical organization Medecins Sans Frontieres condemned a Sunday air strike on the Aleppo province town of Aazaz that maimed 99 people.

"The attack... was particularly devastating as it came just two weeks after air strikes hit the city's health facilities, making it almost impossible for medical staff to cope with an emergency on this scale," MSF said.

On the diplomatic front, at least 57 governments called on the U.N. Security Council to refer the Syria conflict to the International Criminal Court... where Milosevich died of old age before being convicted ... for a war crimes investigation.

Switzerland...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell... sent a petition requesting the move to the 15-member council, the only body that can refer the case to the ICC but which is deeply divided over the conflict.

The signatories included many European governments as well as Libya and Tunisia, which both saw Arab Spring uprisings overthrow longstanding autocratic regimes.

The letter called on the Security Council to refer the Syria conflict for an ICC investigation "without exceptions and irrespective of the alleged perpetrators."

As Syria is not an ICC member, only a Security Council referral could start a war crimes investigation.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said other governments should sign up to the Swiss-led initiative.

"Human Rights Watch urged other states, particularly Arab states who have repeatedly voiced concern over the killings in Syria, to join the mounting calls for accountability," the organization said in a statement.

But diplomats said the council's divide on Syria is so deep that no move by the body is now possible.

Russia and China, both veto-wielding permanent council members, have refused to sign the petition.

On Sunday, Russia said Assad's removal from power was not a part of past international agreements on the crisis and so impossible to implement.

The wrangling comes amid warnings that the conflict, which according to the U.N. has sent more than 600,000 Syrians fleeing into neighboring countries, is growing more dangerous for civilians in the face of the regime's expanded use of cluster bombs.

Syria "is now resorting to a notoriously indiscriminate type of cluster munition that gravely threatens civilian populations," the director of HRW's arms division Steve Goose said in a statement.

U.N.-Arab League...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing... peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who last week dismissed peace proposals by Assad as "one-sided", came in for more criticism from the Syrian authorities with government daily al-Thawra describing him as an "aging tourist".

[Dawn] Businesses and markets remained shut as Bloody Karachi...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... was paralysed on Monday over a strike call given in solidarity with the Shias and the Hazara community after Thursday's bombings in Quetta, DawnNews reported.

Petrol and CNG filling stations were shut and public transport remained off the roads.

Police and demonstrators blocked several roads, including some of the major arteries of the city.

Protesters also blocked railway tracks in Bloody Karachi's Malir area, disrupting the flow of railway traffic to and from the city.

[Dawn] One person was injured on Monday in Rawalakot's Battal sector after shots were reportedly fired by Indian soldiers, DawnNews reported.

Earlier today, Pakistain had demanded of India to abide by the ceasefire agreement between the countries with regard to Kashmire.

Pakistain had made the demand during a flag meeting held between the Pak and Indian army commanders at the Line of Control (LoC).

The Mighty Pak Army brigadier in Poonch sector also participated in the meeting which was held to discuss the recent violations of the ceasefire agreement.

During the meeting, the Pak commanders rejected the allegations levelled against them by their Indian counterparts.

The Indian commanders accused their Pak counterparts for firing across the border, while the latter registered their own protest against Indian violations of the ceasefire at the LoC, military sources told DawnNews.

Also during the meeting, the Mighty Pak Army demanded that India must comply with the ceasefire agreement.

Earlier on Monday, the Indian Army chief, General Bikram Singh, had threatened aggressive action against any provocation by the Mighty Pak Army.

"The attack on January 8 was premeditated, a pre-planned activity. Such an operation requires planning, detailed reconnaissance," General Singh told a news conference in New Delhi.

"I expect all my commanders at the Line of Control to be both aggressive and offensive in the face of provocation and fire," he added.

Pakistain had also proposed a third party probe into the ceasefire violations recently but India had rejected the proposal saying it did not wish to "internationalise" the issue.

[Dawn] Eight people died while at least four people were killed within an hour in different incidents of violence in Bloody Karachi...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... on Monday night, DawnNews reported.

A man, identified as Sardar, was bumped off near Indus Plaza in Sohrab Goth locality while Hussain and Naqeeb sustained injuries in the same incident.

Earlier, a police official, identified as Shabir Jan, was bumped off in Sohrab Goth neighbourhood.

Zahid was killed in Iqbal Market while Irshad was killed in a knife attack in PECHS Tipo Sultan area.

Saleem, who was injured two days ago in an armed attack, succumbed to his wounds in PIB Colony.

Meanwhile,...back at the saloon, Butch got the bill for the damage caused by the fist fight, the mirror broken in the shootout, and drinks for everyone...... a fuel station in Surjani Town's Khuda ki Basti came under a hand grenade attack by unidentified myrmidons leaving two station workers injured.

The bomb-disposal squad, in their investigative report, suggested it was a Russian made RGD-1 grenade.

Moreover, unknown cycle of violence riders fled away after hurling a tennis-ball-bomb at a shop in China Mobile Market in Banaras area. The shop was destroyed in the attack.

[Yemen Post] The specialized penal court started on Monday the trial of ten suspects accused of involvement in the bombing that killed and injured scores of central security soldiers while performing a military parade rehearsal in the Sabeen Square in downtown in Yemen's capital Sanaa in May 2011.

The court accused the suspects of forming an Al-Qaeda-linked cell which attacked and planned to target security and military installations as well as soldiers and foreigners.

The accusation included the suspects were well-prepared with guns and explosives to assassin and carry out suicide kabooms and that they received funds for their operations.

Samir Khalid Ali Hamoud Al-Sahib confessed he had been assigned by one of Al-Qaeda leaders, known as Khawlan, to detonate a boom-mobile at the US embassy but he convinced himself and stopped the operation at the last moment.

"Then my fellow Haitham Hamid Mufarah was ordered to carry out the suicide kaboom at the military parade rehearsal in the Al-Sabeen Square," he said, adding that Mufarah was recruited by Al-Qaeda.

The hearing was adjourned to next Monday when the remaining suspects are expected to face accusations.

The bombing, which killed and injured about 171 central security soldiers on May 21, 2011, was part of a series of Al-Qaeda deadly suicide kabooms last year.

The hearing, at a Sanaa court specialising in terrorism cases, was being held under tight security, an AFP correspondent reported. The defendants, identified as members of a group known as the Saawan cell, are accused of having planned to assassinate security leaderships and targeting civilian and military establishments using explosive belts and silent guns, according to the chargesheet read out in the court.

They are also accused of participating in the May 21, 2012 attack which killed 86 soldiers and wounded 173, the chargesheet added.

Al Qaeda had claimed responsibility for the blast, which it said was aimed at Defence Minister Mohammed Nasser Ahmed and his aides. The minister escaped unharmed.

The attack saw a man dressed as a soldier detonate explosives under his uniform in the middle of a battalion. The massive blast echoed loudly across Sanaa, causing panic among residents. It was the biggest assault on Yemeni troops since President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi came to power in February last year, following a year long uprising that ousted his predecessor Ali Abdullah Saleh.

After the charges were read, one of the defendants, 24-year-old Hisham Sharaabi, shouted: This case is political and involves high-ranking officials.

The defendants denied the charges and claimed they had confessed under pressure.

Prosecutors have demanded capital punishment for the nine, who are also charged with joining Al Qaeda and taking jihadist and incitement lessons from Ansar Al Sharia (Islamic law) in Abyan, said the judge, referring to jihadists who fought the army for over a year across south Yemen.

[Yemen Post] Yemeni police raided at dawn Monday an Al-Qaeda hideout in the capital Sanaa and tossed in the calabooseDrop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages! two suspected gunnies with equipment including explosives, the interior ministry reported.

"The hideout in the Jadder district north of Sanaa was used as a place to make explosives and bombs as well as for plans to carry out political liquidations in the country," the ministry quoted an official as saying.

"Mines, explosives, detonators, aerial bases, electric detonators and other equipment including those used to make bombs were seized during the raid," the official said, adding there were books including the guide of liquidations.

The arrestees were part of one of the most dangerous cells which had been involved in liquidations and planned to attack public targets, the ministry quoted the source as adding.

Tens of senior security and military officers, mostly intelligence officers, were assassinated last and other politicians escaped plots.

[BBC.CO.UK] Islamist fighters in Mali have seized a town in government-controlled territory, though La Belle France said the Islamists were "in retreat" elsewhere.

French officials said Diabaly, 400km (250 miles) from the capital, Bamako, was taken in a counter-attack.

La Belle France began a military intervention on Friday in an effort to halt Islamists who took control of northern Mali last year and were advancing towards Bamako.

The UN Security Council has convened to discuss Mali at La Belle France's request.

Aid workers said many people had been fleeing areas targeted by French air strikes over the past four days.

The Islamists began a counter-attack on Diabaly, home to a key Mali army base, on Sunday night, hours after French warplanes had targeted the town.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM television: "They took Diabaly after fierce fighting and resistance from the Malian army that was not able to hold them off at that moment."

One resident told the BBC that the fighting had lasted for about 10 hours.

"About five [rebel] vehicles entered the town," he said. "Now they're stationed about 200m (650ft) from the military camp but they haven't taken the camp. They've killed a few soldiers."

A Malian military source told AFP news agency that rebels had come from the Mauritanian border area after being attacked by French planes.

Rebels 'in retreat'The BBC's Mark Doyle reports from Bamako that although the Islamists are still hundreds of miles away, the war was felt in the Malian capital as the president visited maimed soldiers in hospital there.

La Belle France intensified its air strikes on rebel targets over the weekend, with its aircraft also bombing the town of Gao in eastern Mali. On Monday witnesses told AFP there had been air strikes on Douentza for a fourth consecutive day.

#1
Note the absence of enemy WIA/KIA stats, which must indicate there have been buttloads. Somewhere US Army JAG's and State Department 'Nation Builders' are wringing their hands and sobbing uncontrollably.

#2
I do hope everyone knows what they are getting themselves into. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the south of Africa. At one time there we Catholics, Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed, Methodists, and even Jews, but they all had evil, exploitive colonial roots and have been in rapid decline.

A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.